Health Benefits of Amino Acids for Antiaging

Health benefits of amino acids are just now beginning to be realized by the general public. Branched-chain amino acids in particular have amazing healing properties. Amino acid benefits provide some very effective nutritional tools for your antiaging program........Let me explain!

What Are Amino Acids?

Amino acids are molecules that are the building blocks of protein. They contain carbon, nitrogen, oxygen, and hydrogen.
Proteins are linear chains of these amino acids, which also have many other important metabolic functions.

The following eight amino acids are considered essential because the body can't synthesize them.

Isoleucine

Leucine

Lysine

Methionine

Phenylalanine

Threonine

Tryptophan

Valine

Foods containing all of these amino acids are considered complete proteins. Most complete proteins come from animal sources which is why vegetarian diets often fail to adequate support optimal health.

The real benefits of these nutrients are both in complete proteins and specific uses of individual amino acids as nutritional therapy.

Branched-Chain Amino Acids

There are three essential amino acids (Leusine, Isoleusine,andValine) which together comprise the branched-chain amino acids. These amino acids account for 35% of the amino acids in muscle.

When supplemented properly the branched-chain amino acids can lower protein requirements by up to 40%. They can maintain muscle tissue in periods of illness or stress, and help prevent muscle breakdown and enhance recovery from intense exercise.

Some amino acids can act as "excitotoxins" and therefore anyone who has a medical history of seizures or a seizure disorder should not use any individual amino acids supplements unless they are under the supervision of a doctor.

Amino Acid Benefits

Health benefits of amino acids can also involve individual amino acids be used for specific purposes, some of which you are probably already familiar with.